


Happy Belated Birthday Remus.

by Coriaria



Series: One More Dirty Job AU [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Mild Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-04-07 16:00:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14084475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coriaria/pseuds/Coriaria
Summary: Remus knows something is up with both Severus and Sirius. He's right, and yet completely wrong.





	Happy Belated Birthday Remus.

**Author's Note:**

> A short fic set a few months after the end of [_One More Dirty Job_](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13712031/chapters/31499064%20)

 

  
Remus was feeling distinctly on-edge as he stepped through the gate to Sirius’s cottage. Despite it being a beautiful early spring day, with lesser celandine and violets blooming in the hedgerows and the buds bursting on the sycamores, he knew that something was off.

Severus had been out of sorts for weeks, since Remus’s birthday, in fact. That was not particulary unusual, since the former spy was still troubled as a result of his experiences at the end of the war, but it had lasted longer than usual. That morning, Remus had thought that he was coming right. He’d seemed much happier and they’d had a particularly pleasant morning in bed. But then after lunch, when Sirius had asked them to come around, he’d stalked off to his lab and locked the door.

Remus had given a sigh.

“Well, I’ll come, Sirius,” he’d said. “Ill just clean up a bit here and see you in twenty minutes or so.”

He’d given Harry a kiss goodbye, promising to see him soon, and had attacked the dishes muggle-style, working his frustration out by scrubbing pots. There was something up with Sirius too, Remus could see. While it had taken some effort, Sirius and Severus had been getting along reasonably well since just after Christmas. But again, in the last couple of weeks, things hadn’t been right. Sirius had been exchanging odd looks with Severus all through lunch. 

Remus wondered whether Sirius had reverted to his previous attitude and had started picking on Severus again, but was doing it behind Remus’s back. It would explain why Severus had been out of sorts. He resolved to have a word with Sirius – the man was a terrible liar and if Remus was sure to get the truth out of him. Honestly, Remus thought, he couldn’t believe he’d ever thought the man a traitor. It would have taken about five minutes before he’d have been on his knees confessing to James.

Remus could hear Harry’s delighted laughter in the garden as he walked up Sirius’s path, so instead of knocking on the front door, he walked around the side of the cottage. He saw Sirius first and then, to his horror, he saw Harry sitting on the back of a huge black horse, which was plodding sedately around the garden.

“Moo, look. Pony!” Harry shouted, waving one hand at Remus while the other held the thick black mane.

“Sirius, what the hell?”

“Isn’t he beautiful?” Sirius replied.

“What? You can’t let Harry ride around on a horse on his own like that. He’s not even two!”

“He’s fine, Moony,” Sirius replied, and Remus gritted his teeth. Thesedays, Sirius only called him Moony when he was either annoyed or baiting him.

“See, Prince loves Harry. He won’t hurt him.”

“Yes, but what if Harry falls off? What if he got a fright? What if he stepped on Harry?”

“You worry too much Moony. He’s fine.”

The horse turned and walked towards them. Close up, Remus could see he wasn’t as big as he’d first thought, although he was still a little large to be called a pony.

“Look, Moo! Go, Prince, go.”

Harry kicked his legs and bounced around, while Prince continued his gentle plod towards Remus. Eventually, the horse pushed his big head against Remus’s chest.

“He wants a pat, Moony. Go on. He’s friendly.”

Remus tentatively stroked the black forehead.

“See, Moony, isn’t he beautiful?”

Remus couldn’t disagree. The horse was a glossy black, with a long, thick mane and tail. He had a heavy, solid head, arched neck and intense eyes. When he lifted his head to look around, Remus could see that he deserved the name “Prince”.

“He’s a Friesian, isn’t he, Sirius?”

“What?”

“His breed, it’s Friesian, I think.”

“I don’t know anything about breeds. But Harry really loves him.”

Sirius reached up and pulled Harry down into his arms. Harry immediately reached for Prince’s head and began to rub his face. The horse gave a soft snort of apparent pleasure.

“Friesians are often a bit magical,” Remus said. “Stunning horses too. Unfortunately they quite often end up in the hands of dark wizards. Are you sure you’ve checked him out thoroughly? He could be cursed…”

Remus’s words seemed to die on his lips.

“Prince,” he said. “Oh. Oh my.”

He took a step backwards, looking from Sirius to the horse and back again.

“Sirius, you... You sneaky, conniving… you…”

He paused, his mouth opening and closing in shock for a few moments, before he continued speaking.

“And as for you, Severus, I was worried. I was actually worried about you, and you were… Merlin… you…”

Suddenly the shape of the horse began to shimmer and in its place stood Severus. His face wore a very smug grin.

“Sirius helped me,” he said. “It was meant to be for your birthday, but it wasn’t ready, I’m sorry. But we thought… well, for your transformation… I assume a horse will be okay, since you didn’t mind the stag.”

Remus looked again at Sirius, who was also wearing a smug grin. Harry didn’t seem the least bit surprised either.

Remus gave a sigh and then smiled.

“That’s… that’s amazing, Severus. Thank you. And thank you Sirius. I… I admit I was a little shocked, but that’s… amazing.”

Severus stepped forward and pulled Remus into his arms.

“Happy belated Birthday, Remus, darling” he whispered.  



End file.
